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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Organizing...again!

It's Wednesday and what am I really working on? Well, I'm not quilting today, I'm instead putting in some much needed time organizing my desk, files within my computer, and even quilting designs.

I've been designing quilts since I started quilting in 2005 and I still have every original pattern I ever drew, unless it was so totally ugly and horrid I threw it out. Creating free motion quilting designs didn't start until 2009, and it certainly added to my stash of sketches, doodles, and miscellaneous designs sketched on little bits of paper.

I'm terrified of throwing anything away in case I forget something, so you'd think I would have figured out a good system of organization for all this stuff if it's so important.

Nope. Lots of bits of paper. No organization whatsoever.

Case in point was the top of my desk, which when I began pulling the unlabeled, unorganized bins down was so mixed up I found two goddess designs in with a block of the month I once planned, on top of the sketches for a new jacket pattern. How in the world would I have found any of this stuff had I actually been wanting to find it?!

One thing I'm learning today - it is one thing to buy a box for stuff to go into. The NEXT STEP is to label the box and put only one thing, or one set of things into it! It is a 2 part process Leah!

After a good bit of digging around and shuffling around, I managed to clean up my space to this glory of organization.

Yes, my bins are organized! Yes, they even have LABELS!I still have tons of bits of paper all over my desk and computer monitor, but just look at those bins!

Now it's time to tackle the computer. Turns out I have 3 files in 3 different locations for taxes. Geez...this is going to take awhile...

ORGANIZING IS MY PASSION!! -THOUGH I MUST BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER-ORGANIZE... ANYWAY, FOR THOSE BITS OF PAPERS WITH IDEAS AND QUILT DESIGNS, HERE IS HOW I WOULD ORGANIZE THEM - (TAKE SMALL STEPS):1. GATHER UP ALL PAPER BITS AND PUT INTO ONE BIN (OR LAUNDRY BASKET...)2. BEGIN SORTING - LOOK AT EACH PAPER BIT AND DECIDE IF IT CAN BE CATEGORIZED ( STRAIGHT LINES, CIRCLES, ZIZ-ZAGS, ...) AND MAKE THE NECESSARY PILES. THIS MAY TAKE A FEW SESSIONS :) (IT IS OK TO THROW SOME BITS AWAY - OR PUT IN A THROW-AWAY PILE FOR NOW)3. FOR QUICK ORGANIZING, GATHER APPROPRIATE SIZE PLASTIC CONTAINERS (ALL THE SAME SIZE), OR PHOTO BOXES, LABEL THEM, AND STORE THE BITS IN THE CORRECT LABELED CONTAINER. 4. FOR AN EASY LOOK-SEE SYSTEM. USE PHOTO ALBUM BOOKS, STORING ORGANIZED BITS IN ONE ALBUM PER CATEGORY.NOTE: EITHER SYSTEM IS EASY TO LOOK THROUGH, THOUGH I FIND THE PLASTIC BINS OR BOXES EASIER TO MAINTAIN.GOOD LUCK! AND REMEMBER TO ENJOY THE PROCESS. IT IS AMAZING HOW GOING THROUGH ALL OF OUR ITEMS SPURS ON OUR IMAGINATION!

Hi Leah...I have visited our Ikea and bought my tables to go with my Gidget 2 table! I just need my husband to cut and paste..so to speak...I'm so excited for a flush table system for my machine! I'm so glad you talked about your set up last year...the only change is that Ikea has changed the name of the table to Linnmon..I had $300 budgeted, not counting the Gidget and came in at $232...enough to play at the quilt store..thanks so much for the ideas!

A Little Advice from Leah:

Stop stressing about perfection. Perfection does not exist past 25 inches! Actually, make that 5 inches.

Don't be afraid of your tension dial - it was put there for a reason.

Quilt because it makes you happy, not because you need to "finish this damn quilt!"

If you've never quilted before and are waiting for that perfect day when the kids are grown or you're retired, STOP WAITING! Today is the day, now is the time, get off your butt and do it!

Eat, Quilt, Sleep, Repeat.

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